Ōhawe Memorial and Military Cemetery (1907)

Located in Ōhawe Cemetery on Kepa Street at Ōhawe Beach, west of Hāwera, this cairn and its original plaque were erected by James Livingston in 1907 to commemorate 45 imperial and colonial servicemen who died in south Taranaki during the second half of the 1860s.

The cairn and a second plaque were then officially unveiled (after being gifted to the government by Livingston's son) on 13 January 1926, the sixtieth anniversary of the Battle of Otapawa in 1866. A third plaque, for the bodies of soldiers transferred from the military cemetery at Manawapou, was unveiled on 27 April 1945.

Front face:

Somebodys sons / lest they also are forgotten

57th Regt

Sergt. Fred Day aged 26
[Sergeant] John Sullivan [aged] 30
Corpl. W. Noble [aged] 38
Privt. Joseph Mater [aged] 36
[Private] Robt. Doake [aged] 24
Privt. George Ring aged 29
[Private] Hugh McGregor [aged] 29
[Private] John Laverly [aged] 30
[Private] John Manning [aged 29]
[Private] John Moran [aged] 28

2nd Battn. 14th Regt
Sergt. John Fox aged 29
Privt. John Whelan aged 37

40th Regt.
Privt. John Harvey aged 26

Wanganui Yeomanry
Sergt. M. Duff aged 28
Trumpt. John Foyston [aged] 14
Privt. T.U. Wright aged 25
[Private] Aricales Economedes 30

3rd Waikato Regt

Privt. John Harvey aged 47
Vol. U. Wright aged 24.

Also seven others, names now lost to memory. / Most of the above were killed or mortally wound / -ed at the capture of Otapawa Pa, January 13th 1866.

In memoria / by  / Jas. Livingston / 1907

Whittington. Builder / Russell & Sons. Sculptors

Right face:

Wanganui Rangers
Pte. Green. Killed at Pungar[e]hu 2.10.1866

Wanganui Yeomanry
Tpr. Patrick Hanly. Killed at Pohi Pohi 15.10.1866
Tpr. Higinson Died of fever, Waihi Camp Dec. 1866

Wellington Rangers
Pte T. Shehan Drowned Waingongor[o] River July 1868

Left face:

The following were reinterred from Manawapou 27 Apr. 1945:

John Crowson 57th Regt
William Graul [&] Francis McGuire [,] Provincial Govt Surfboatmen
Alban Taylor 50th Regt
All drowned 2 Apr. 1865

Francis Bell [,] David Carrol [&] George Phillpots [,] Commissariat Corps
Trooper Taylor
Killed in Action 1865

Michael Haggerty Wanganui Yeomanry Cavalry, Killed in Action 2 Sept 1866
Trooper Smith [Killed in Action] 4 Oct. 1865
Robert Smith No 5 Division A.C. [Armed Constabulary] [Killed in Action] 30 Sept 1868
Dennis Spain No 8 Company. T.M.S. [Taranaki Military Settlers] accidentally shot 1 Aug. 1866
William Noble 57th Regt drowned 3 Apr. 1865
Charles Rafferty 50th Regt 20 May 1865
Cornelius Dowling 18th Regt 19 Oct. 1866

Plaque [A] inscription:

Sacred / to the memory of / Pte Joseph Mateer / 57th Regt / who departed this / life on the 17th June / 1865 / age 36 years

Plaque [B] inscription:

Sacred / to the memory of / Pte Robert Doake / who was killed / in action at / Otapawa Pa / on the 13th January 1866 / age 24 years

Plaque [C] inscription:

Sacred / to the memory of / Sgt John Sullivan / 57th Regt / Privates George Ring / Hugh McGregor / John Laverly

Plaque [D] inscription:

Sacred / to the memory of / Sgt Fred Day / aged 26 / Pte John Manning / aged 29 / Pte John Moran / aged 28 / Members of the 57th Regt / killed in action at / Otapawa Pa / on 13th January 1866

Plaque [E] inscription:

Sacred / to the memory of / Pte. John Harvey / aged 47 / 3rd Waikato Regt. / killed in action / at Tangahoe on / 2nd December 1865

Plaque [F] inscription:

Sacred to the memory / of / Trumpeter / John Foyston / died 26th July 1865 / aged 14 years